Udaya Gammanpila acquitted in Rs. 21 million criminal breach of trust case

Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has been acquitted, on Tuesday, by the Colombo High Court in a case in which he was accused of criminal breach of trust involving company shares worth Rs. 21 million belonging to an Australian businessman.

The verdict was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Nadee Aparna Suwandurugoda following a lengthy trial.

Delivering the judgment, the judge said the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against Gammanpila beyond reasonable doubt.

The court therefore ordered that he be acquitted and released.

The case had been filed during the previous Yahapalana government over allegations that Gammanpila had used a forged power of attorney to sell company shares belonging to Australian businessman Brian Shaddick, resulting in an alleged criminal breach of trust involving Rs. 21 million.